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Updating the User Researcher role in the Capability Framework

Blocks spelling the word skill. A column chart above the blocks illustrating the growth of skills over time

Updating the User Researcher role in the Capability Framework

Those of you with eagle eyes will have noticed the ’user researcher’ role in the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework, published by the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), has recently been updated. This blog post shares some of the background and thinking behind the changes, and highlights some of the things it means for user researchers working in government.

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User researchers need to be resilient, but we’re not made of stone

Posted by: John Waterworth, Posted on: 13 October 2017 - Categories: Empathy, Ethos
A tree bent by the wind

Being resilient isn’t about toughing it out, or suppressing or ignoring your emotions. It’s about taking care of ourselves.

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10 tips for working with your user researcher

Posted by: Kieron Kirkland, Posted on: 1 September 2017 - Categories: Team sport
A researcher and their team working together to review a research session

...able to help you. Here are 10 tips for getting the most out of your user researchers’ skills. 1. Know what your user researcher will do A user researcher is...

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How do you build a great user research lab? Start with user needs

Posted by: John Waterworth, Posted on: 24 August 2017 - Categories: User research infrastructure, User research lab
Images of a rack of electronics being built and a corridor with cabling and a ladder

When GDS moved to our new offices, we needed to rebuild our user research lab. We started with the needs of the people who use the lab.

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How we researched the new navigation on GOV.UK

Posted by: Emma Maxim and Giulia Bazoli, Posted on: 29 June 2017 - Categories: Agile, Case studies, Design patterns

We're introducing new navigation elements to GOV.UK. This blog posts talks about the user research that helped us develop them.

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Why we care more about effectiveness than efficiency or satisfaction

Posted by: John Waterworth, Posted on: 18 April 2017 - Categories: Ethos, Service manual
The Find What Works, not What's Popular poster

We look at how GDS defines usability and why we think effectiveness is more important than efficiency or satisfaction.

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The value of conducting user research with stakeholders

Posted by: Lorna Wall, Posted on: 31 March 2017 - Categories: Case studies, Team sport
A yak and the GOV.UK Verify team sign

As well as carrying out user research with users, it's also valuable to carry it out with internal stakeholders. This is how the GOV.UK Verify team conducted user research with its internal stakeholders.

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Launching a user research panel for GOV.UK

Posted by: Katie Taylor, Posted on: 27 March 2017 - Categories: User research infrastructure
A screenshot of the GOV.UK user research panel

We've set up a user research panel for GOV.UK and we're looking to expand it to the rest of government.

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New user research methods guides in the Service Manual

Posted by: John Waterworth, Posted on: 1 March 2017 - Categories: Service manual, Tips and techniques
Screen shot of part of the main user research in the service manual

We’ve published new guides to the most common user research methods. And we’re trying out a new discussion group to help the community contribute to the guidance and keep it up to date with our evolving practice.

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How a knowledge kanban board can help your user research

Posted by: Kieron Kirkland, Posted on: 16 February 2017 - Categories: Case studies, Tips and techniques
A template for a knowledge kanban board

Setting up a knowledge kanban board is a great way to organise and track user research work. Here are some tips on how to create one and how it can help.

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Collaborative user research for #VerifyLocal discovery

Posted by: Pete Gale, Posted on: 14 February 2017 - Categories: Case studies, Team sport
Verify Local

We've been looking at how GOV.UK verify might be extended to local authorities. To help with this, we've been offering training, tools and support to get each of the local authority teams we're working with talking to their own users

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User research in government

This blog showcases the projects user researchers are working on across government in the UK.

It's what we're learning and thinking about and a place for us to share case studies and project updates.

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